Akatsuki Sakura
by Naoko Matatabi
Summary: Sakura was born to Pein and Konan, but because they feared for her safety the two parents left Sakura in Konaha. Sakura's life as the Akatsuki's and Konaha's child.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Thanks for clicking! First off I feel compelled to inform you of a few things about this story. If you could care less then go ahead and skip this note and start reading. Ok everyone who wanted to leave went? Good. Ok, now for the rest of you, when I first started this story it was supposed to just be short little clips from Sakura's like if she was born to Pein and Konan. However it morphed into something bigger. So the style of how I wrote this changes a little as the story goes on. Sorry if this irritates any of you. Oh, and another thing. I know some of these stories end up paring Sakura up with one of the Akatsuki, however this is only a Akatsuki Sakura family fic. If I put any romance in it (highly unlikely) then it will only be a tad and it will be SasuSaku. Okie dokie, that should be it. Enjoy!**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own in any way shape or form any recognizable characters in this story. I only own parts of the plot.**_

**Oh yes. And a special thanks the Goldenwolfhowl aka Howl-chan for betaing and helping me with these plot bunnies!**

* * *

There was silence.

"What?" Pain asked.

"You heard what I said." Konan replied, leaning with forced confidence against his desk.

"So, you're really…"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

Konan rolled her eyes, but on the inside she was a nervous wreck. "Yes, I'm sure."

There was more silence.

"Look I understand this isn't what you want, but I've had time to think it over and this is something I want to do. If you want me to I can leave but I will have this baby." Konan said, pushing off against the desk and readying herself to leave his office.

"I'd prefer it if you stay." Pain said, keeping his voice even, despite the panic that rose in him when she said she was willing to leave.

"So then you're ok with this?"

"I'm not sure."

"But you'll allow it?"

"Yes."

Konan silently sighed in relief. She was willing to leave Akatsuki for this unborn child, but she'd been unsure of where they'd go.

"Do you wish for me to tell the others?" she asked.

"You may if you wish." He said, nodding his head to dismiss her.

"Arigato."

Konan left the room, the only sound of her departure a faint rustling of paper on paper.

Pein turned in his chair and looked out into the dreary scene that was Amegakure.

What was he to do with a child?

* * *

"Daddy, Daddy, look at me!" the four year old cherry haired girl called.

Pein looked up from his paper work to see his daughter zigzagging throughout the room.

"I look like Mizu-nii!" she exclaimed, pointing to the maker lines on her face resembling gills before scrunching her hands at her side to make fins.

"Hmm." Pein hummed, not really laughing, but getting as close to the action as he could.

"I do not look like that." Kisame said, coming into the office.

"Mizu-nii!" Sakura shouted, forgetting her charade and running to embrace the gilled man.

"Squirt." He acknowledged, slightly bending down to meet her.

"I see you've returned from your assignment." Pein said, becoming the stoic leader he was known to be.

"Yes Leader-sama. The new recruit looks promising. A bit brooding, but capable of handling the job."

"I'd agree with your assessment, seeing has he followed you all the way here." Pein said, looking past a shocked Kisame to the door behind him.

"Come in Uchiha."

With no pomp or grandeur, not even an overconfident comment on how Kisame hadn't detected him for two countries, Itachi Uchiha entered the room. Pein eyed the Leaf-nin carefully, leaning back in his chair. Itachi eyed him in return, wary of any sudden movements from the two older ninja.

"You've come to consider our offer?" Pein asked, sounding disinterested.

"To investigate." Itachi answered.

There was a silence as all three ninjas watched each other, anticipating a scuffle. Unbenounced to them, Sakura had left the shelter of Kisame's side and approached Itachi. She watched him a second before tugging on the hem of his pants and made a small grunt to get his attention.

For years later each of the three ninja would deny that a pink haired four year old made them startle.

Keeping his guard up and still watching Pain and Kisame, Itachi kneeled down to Sakura's level.

"Yes?" he asked, sparing her a glance.

"You're going to be part of our family?" she asked with wide emerald eyes.

"Hn." He answered, looking back up.

Suddenly little arms were wrapped around his torso.

"Nii-chan." Sakura identified, smiling at Itachi. "What's nii-cha's name?"

Now his attention was on the intriguingly curious child before him. Despite the physical differences she reminded him of Sasuke.

"Uchiha, Itachi."

"It's nice to meet you It-chi-nii." Sakura said, happily.

Kisame repressed a laugh.

Itachi grimaced and rose to meet Pein's gaze, an answer to the unasked question.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki, Uchiha."

"Hn. We'll be in touch." He said before leaving.

Kisame and Pein watched as the four year old happily waved to the newest member of the Akatsuki.

"Well that could've gone worse." Kisame commented.

"Quiet, now to discuss how you led an enemy shinobi to the hideout and my daughter."

"I get off scot free and Konan never hears of the 'kunai incident' or that you let Sakura play with shuriken."

Pein paused. "Deal."

* * *

Emerald eyes watched brooding blonde hair.

A small hand reached out.

"Don't, un." Deidera semi-barked, halting the eight year old, while still molding clay.

"But…"

"No. You cannot braid my hair, un."

"Why not?" Sakura whined.

"Cause I said so, un. Aren't you supposed to be training?"

"But I already hit the bull's-eye with all my kunai."

"Then go find something else to do and stop annoying me. It's bad enough that I have to babysit but now I have to entertain you too, un?"

"Fine." Sakura huffed, going back to the field, presumably to practice more.

Deidera was annoyed, deeply annoyed. Not only did this stupid mercenary group force him to join, but then they stick him with a child to watch. How was he supposed to express his artistic style if he was stuck to a pink haired brat?

"Deidera-senpai."

"What is it brat, un?" he answered, turning around.

He was met with an eight year old waist high Sakura, green eyes burning with determination and a crudely sculpted bird in her cupped outstretched hands.

"It won't explode." She said, pouting.

"What, un?" Deidera asked, dumbfounded.

"I keep putting chakra into it, but it won't explode."

Deidera's inner teacher emerged. "Well of course its not, you're not using the right clay or ratio of chakra, un. Here let me see." He said, taking the bird into his hands.

When Sasori came to retrieve them two hours later he found Deidera teaching Sakura about how to use his explosive clay.

"Ah, Sasori-dono come here, Sakura-chan is learning the meaning of art, un!" he said, not bothering to conceal his excitement.

"Art is a bang, un!" Sakura exclaimed.

Sasori sighed, "What nonsense have you fed her?" he turned to Sakura, not letting Deidera respond.

"Sakura-chan, art is forever."

* * *

"Are we really going to do this?" Konan asked as she and Pein looked over their sleeping daughter.

"An S-ranked criminal hideout isn't exactly the ideal playground for an eight year old." Pein replied.

"Yes, but she's safe here. Everyone of the Akatsuki would protect her with their lives, they adore her."

"But she is a target for that exact reason. She is the weakness of everyone here. If something happens to her then all of the Akatsuki would be compromised. What we're doing is for the best."

Konan sighed and nodded, agreeing with Pein, but not liking it. Gently Pein laid his hand across his daughter's eyes. Not a minute later he was done. Silently he picked up Sakura's still sleeping form and left her room, Konan close behind. Utilizing the full moon, the ninja made good time in getting to their destination. With a final kiss, hug and presents from each, the torn parents left the memory-less child in the foreign village.

When the sun lit the horizon, the Third Hokage found a pink haired girl laying across his door step with a paper sakura blossom in her hair.

* * *

"Sakura-chan!"

The twelve year old pinkette halted her packing to open the bedroom door for her blonde teammate and roommate.

"What is it, Fuzz-for-brains?"

"Your nicknames are getting worse and worse. Are you ready to go yet? Kakashi-sensei said we're supposed to meet him and the old man at the gates soon."

"Hai, I'm almost ready. Just hold on." She answered, returning to her room.

Looking around Sakura realized that the only thing left to pack was her gifts.

When the Third found Sakura on his porch four years ago she only had a paper flower, a shiruken with a cloud engraved on it, the clothes on her back, and the knowledge of her name.

For a time the Third Hokage cared for her, but Sakura requested that she live alone, to make sure that she wasn't a burden. However the Hokage refused to let a nine year old girl to fend for herself. Instead he introduced the unknown pink hair child to the lonely blonde prankster menace of Konoha. The two took to each other immediately, or least it seemed they did, it was kind of hard to tell when Sakura was beating Naruto up. Being as close as siblings, the two children shared almost everything with each other.

Almost.

Every year on her birthday Sakura would find two presents in her room. On her ninth birthday she found a small clay bird and a pack of filled vials at the foot of her bed. The bird was fashioned in such a way that t if a bit of chakra was pushed into it, a small spark of an explosion would occur. The vials were filled with poison, each labeled and complete with instructions on how to recreate it. The morning of her tenth birthday, Sakura found a new ninja tool pack and a bingo book laying on her dresser. For her Eleventh birthday the mysterious gift giver left eleven lollipops and a small Venus fly trap. On her twelfth birthday Sakura found a pair of new ninja tools and an unusual knife in her closet. The foot long blade was made of a strong smooth white material with serrated edges that absorbed chakra. She had taken to 'feeding' it a small portion of her chakra every day, for some reason it seemed like the knife became happy when she did so.

Sakura never told anyone about the mysterious gifts she received, they seemed too personal. She had shared the lollipops with Naruto, but anytime he questioned her about the new stuff she had she lied, claiming she got them from traveling traders and merchants.

She wanted to bring a few of the items with her on her first mission outside the village. Quickly packing, Sakura found that the pack comfortably held her poisons, bird bingo book and all her kunai and shuriken. She strapped the knife to a belt she really did buy from a traveling merchant and looped it around her waist. After donning the ninja shoes she said good bye to the fly trap and headed out the door.

"Hurry up, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled.

"Shut up Baka, I'm coming." She yelled back.

Finally the two reached the gate and met up with the rest of their team and the bridge builder they were escorting.

"See Sakura-chan. You made us so late that even Kakashi-sensei got her before us." Naruto whined.

"Actually Naruto, you two arrived before Sasuke. I wasn't expecting any of you for another ten minutes." Kakashi said, for once not reading the brightly colored Icha Icha book.

"Told you." Sakura said, happily.

"Whatever, you're just glad that the time you took to look better for Sasuke-teme didn't run into your time with him."

"Shut up Naruto." Sakura said in a sing song voice, one that should've warned Naruto to stop.

"Why should I? We all know you like him."

"In either case, it's none of your business."

"Oh, so you admit that you like him."

"No, I-" Naruto but Sakura off.

"Sakura likes Teme, Sakura likes Teme, Sakura likes Teme!" he chanted.

An angry tick mark appeared on Sakura's face.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Um, Naruto you might-"

"Naruto" Sakura shouted.

"Nevermind." Kakashi sighed.

Sakura began chasing after Naruto. "You are dead meat Naruto!"

"Nah, nah, na-nah, ha!" Naruto answered mockingly.

During this chaos Sasuke showed up.

"Ah, Sasuke you're here. Now we can get going. Naruto, Sakura we're leaving." Kakashi called cheerily.

As easily as the chase began, it ended and the two young ninja returned to the waiting group.

"Yeah, let's go! Dattebyo!" Naruto shouted, running out of the village gate.

Tazuna muttered something under his breath the sounded suspiciously like "Should've sprung for a B-rank."

* * *

**Thanks for reading my plot bunny. There will be more soon! But in the mean time please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was planning to post his later. But I'm bored, so without further a due. Akatsuki Sakura part 2!**

**_isclaimer: I in no way shape or form own Naruto. I'm just borrowing it._**

* * *

"Kirigakure no Jutsu."

The mist surrounded the group of travelers, making the genin and civilian nervous. "Be on your guard." Kakashi warned.

Each of the ninja pulled out a weapon. Sakura unsheathed her knife, poised to strike at the slightest hint of movement. Slowly the mist began to thin. Sakura looked down at her knife. It seemed to be almost vibrating with energy.

'The mist is made of chakra.' She realized.

The adult ninja were confused, Zabuza wasn't controlling the mist and Kakashi had no control over it. Taking a chance, Kakashi glanced back at his students. He worried that the Kyuubi within Naruto was causing this, and might cause more problems later. To his surprise the mist was being absorbed by the strange knife his only female student held.

"Sakura," Kakashi called, startling the girl, "where did you get that knife?"

"A traveling Salesman." She lied.

'Lies!' Zabuza thought to himself from his vantage point in the mist.

"Keep your blade out and stay by Tazuna." He ordered.

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei."

"Planning to keep the mist around the old man thin. A good idea but, you're still finished." Zabuza's voice echoed.

Sasuke and Naruto tensed, feeling the killing intent emanating from the hidden shinobi. However Sakura seemed unaffected. Kakashi filed this information away.

"Sasuke, "she said, sensing the student most in need of help, "Calmdown. Even if he gets me, I'll still protect you. I will never let my comrades die."

"I wouldn't bet on that." Suddenly Zabuza appeared amongst the group. Kakashi blocked the attack and countered, only to find the attacker was a water doppelganger. Zabuza attacked, fooled by his own technique, before feeling the cold metal of a kunai at his neck.

"Game over." Kakashisaid from behind him.

"Clever, but," the real Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, "I am not that easy to fool."

Kakashi ducked under the cutting blade but couldn't dodge the kick Zabuza directed at him. As Kakashi landed in the water, Zabuza landed behind him. "Art of the Water Prison." Wasting no time, he created a bubble of water and a water doppelganger.

He turned to Naruto and the rest of the group. "Heh, little ninja wantabe. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a hitai-ate headband. But clothes don't make a shinobi. You need skills good enough to have a listing in my bingo book of enemies before you deserve to be called a ninja. You aren't a ninja…" suddenly the water clone Zabuza kicked the stunned Naruto hard enough to knock off his headband, "you're a brat."

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled, running to his side.

"Everyone listen," Kakashi yelled, "runaway, if the doppelganger gets too far away from him he'll lose control of it."

Sakura saw the self-doubt on Naruto's face, but then something changed.

Naruto charged the clone, immediately being thrown back.

"Naruto, what are you thinking?! You can't take him on yourself we're still just junior…" Sakura trailed off.

Clutched in his shaking fist, Naruto held his headband. A mixture of blood and saliva hung from his mouth, dripping as he recovered air for a comeback.

"Hey, you, what's life like without eyebrows, freak?" he continued, "I've got a new listing for your bingo book right here." He straightened and yanked his headband on. "Uzumaki, Naruto future Hokage of Konohagakure Village . Dattebyyo!"

'Naruto, you pigheaded idiot.' Sakura thought affectionately.

"Sasuke, listen up. I have a plan!"

"So is it time for some team work?" Sasuke asked, smirking.

"Let's get busy!" Naruto said determinedly.

"Do you really think you have a chance against me?" Zabuza taunted.

Sakura only half listened to Tazuna giving them permission to fight, instead a hundred battle plans ran through her head. None seemed plausible and, to her displeasure, all required that she stay behind to protect Tazuna. Sakura barely tuned back in to hear about the reform implemented by the Mist elders. Then before anyone could act the water clone attacked Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun!" she yelled.

The clone was ready to kill Sasuke when Naruto intervened with his doppelgangers. Despite their ability to surround and land on Zabuza, the older ninja sent the clones flying. Finally Sakura saw her chance. As one of the clones came towards her Sakura grabbed is and prevented it from dispersing.

"Look Naruto, I have a plan, but I need your help."

Meanwhile the real Naruto threw the giant shuriken to Sasuke, who sent it sailing towards the real Zabuza.

"Amateur!" Zabuza yelled as he caught the shuriken, only to have to jump over the shadow shuriken hurtling towards him. Then Naruto , no longer disguised as a shuriken, sent a kunai flying towards Zabuza. Surprised by the attack, Zabuza had to release Kakashi in order to dodge the kunai.

'The little runt.' Zabuza thought murderously, preparing to launch the shuriken at the falling Naruto.

However before it left his hand, Zabuza's forward motion was stopped as pain radiated from his abdomen and he felt his chakra drain. Looking down he found the unusual knife the girl had from before sticking out from his stomach. Not far away the girl herself was treading water. "Insolent little twerp." He growled, yanking the knife out of his body and throwing it at the girl, before turning to throw the shuriken at the blonde boy. Instead of the giant star embedding itself in the boy, Kakashi blocked it with the metal plate on his hand glove. Despite being nearly face to face with a pissed off ninja, Zabuza noticed the stirring of the bushes in the distance and then the flash of a bandaged sword and blue skin.

'As subtle as ever.' Zabuza commented to himself wryly."

"Well Kakashi, it seems you've lucked out. I'll have to dispatch of you and your brats later." He sneered before vanishing.

In case it was a trick Kakashi kept his guard up. "Let's go," he called to the group, " we don't know how long this reprieve will last."

When the two soaked students and teacher reached the shore they were greeted with the sight of Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura.

"Eh? Why are there two Sakura-chans! I can only deal with one!" Naruto exclaimed.

The Sakura moving out of the water looked irritated. "I'll remember that Baka."

The second Sakura poofed into one of Naruto's clones, grinning before it dispersed.

"You used a shadow clone to follow my order of staying near Tazuna while the real you approached Zabuza until you were close enough to throw the knife." Kakashi said, looking at Sakura.

"Sortof." Sakura answered, " I used one of Naruto's shadow clones, but I got close enough to the water prison to use Samenoha to absorb chakra from the Water Prison. I was hoping to weaken it enough for you to break free." She admitted.

"Samenoha?" Sasuke asked.

"My knife." Sakura replied, sheathing the blade.

Kakashi looked semi-impressed. Were all his students really so good as to defend against an S-ranked rouge, or was it just beginners luck?

The rest of the journey to the bridge-maker's house was uneventful.

"Alright, everyone get some rest. Tomorrow we start training. Dismissed."

As his students turned to leave, Naruto shouting about the next day's training and Sasuke just brooding in general, Kakashi notice red dripping from Sakura's fist.

"Sakura, a word please."

When the boys had left and Sakura returned, Kakashi spoke.

"May I see your hand Sakura?" he asked, giving her a one eyed smile that meant she had no choice.

In response Sakura lifted her left hand, trying to hold back a smirk.

"Very funny," Kakashi sighed, "Your other hand."

The smirk disappeared completely from Sakura's face as she reluctantly lifted her right fist and opened it to reveal bloody ribbons of skin that had previously been a palm. Kakashi raised an eyebrow in silent question.

"When I caught Samenoha she cut up my hand." She answered.

Kakashi examined her hand. "We'll have to bandage your hand up, and you'll need to go easy on the training."

"But…" Sakura protested.

"That's an order from your sensei." Kakashi interrupted, giving her another close eyed smile.

"Yes, sir." She muttered grudgingly.

* * *

Haku appeared wordlessly next to Zabuza as they rushed through the trees. Zabuza stopped them in a seemingly random clearing.

"You know usually people wait for others to finish off their opponents before initiating a meeting." Zabuza said, staring intently across the clearing.

From the shadows two cloaked figures emerged. "Yes, and usually I'd have already killed someone who even dared to hurt one under my protection."

Haku tensed, preparing several senbon.

Zabuza narrowed his eyes, "I'll let that threat slide Kisame, because you're a fellow former Swordman, but you of all people should know I'm not against killing past comrades."

Itachi intervened before a fight could begin. "The girl in the protection detail you're targeting is under our protection ." he held out two scrolls to the former Mist-nin. "These are lists of all of Gato's financial contacts. A few pulled strings and his entire fortune is yours. That should be sufficient funds for another coupe de aut or a new life somewhere."

"All that, just to not interfere? What's the catch?" Zabuza asked suspiciously.

"You have to help the genin team and protect the pink haired girl." Kisame answered.

"If they complete their mission and the girl is unharmed, you get the second scroll." Itachi said, tossing the first scroll to the masked nin.

"Huh, Easy cash. But why the interest in the girl?"

"That's a secret," Kisame gave a toothy grin, "and you know how I am about secrets."

"Hmm. Well, I'll see you at the end of the mission for my payment." Zabuza said, and with that he jumped into the trees, going to the bridge maker's house.

* * *

In every ninja's life there will be someone who wants them killed, and every ninja will most likely have to face off with at least one such person. What doesn't happen in every ninja's life is a new found enemy shinobi showing up on the front porch of the client, whom he wanted to kill not hours before, asking to join forces. However that's exactly what happen to Kakashi, which only partially explained why dinner in the Tazuna household now consisted of two former enemy ninjas. Being Konoha's number one knuckleheaded ninja, Naruto decided to not only address the elephant in the room, but to stab at it with a sharp stick.

"Hey, Browless freak, what are you doing here?"

"Naruto, it's not nice to call people names." Sakura admonished.

"You're one to talk." Naruto pouted.

"What was that?" she asked in her sweet sing song voice reserved for times right before she beat him to a pulp.

"Heh, heh. Nothing Sakura-chan."

Zabuza and Haku shared a look that concisely said 'These guys are weird.'

Finally the awkward dinner was over and the adult ninja retired to the porch, planning terms of cooperation.

"You've yet to tell me what caused this sudden change in sides."

"New information about Gato. I tip in the balance if you will."

"I see."

A silence descended upon the two.

"I know it's now proper new alliance etiquette but I'd like to ask you a favor." Kakashi said.

"Hmm."

"Would you look at my student's knife? I'm sure you know it didn't come from a trader."

Zabuza pretended to mull it over. "I'll look at it." He said in a disinterested voice. Really he was interested in how this girl was connected to Kisame and he was hoping her blade would yield more information.

"Sakura, come on out." Kakashi called.

The pinkette appeared from around the corner of the house. However there was something off about her walk.

"She doesn't make sound when she walks." Zabuza observed.

"Yes," Kakashi nodded, " a peculiar trait, but one that is perfectly natural for her. It's how she snuck on you today during the fight."

"You called Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura said.

"Show Zabuza your knife."

Awkwardly using her left hand, Sakura pulled out her knife. Zabuza took it and turned it, inspecting the white blade with a practiced eye. It definitely looked like Samehada, but it was different, harder than the shark skin sword, yet had the same absorbing properties. He could easily rat out the blue skinned shinobi, but in the interest of his paycheck…

"It's different, but I'm not sure where it might've come from." He answered, returning it to Sakura, "Does it have a name?"

"Samenoha." Sakura answered, absentmindedly giving the blade an affectionate stroke.

Zabuza smirked to himself. _Shark tooth._ The fish face would like the name. "Good name. Take care of her kid. That's a good knife."

"Hai." Sakura said before leaving.

"You know more about it than you're letting on, don't you?" Kakashi asked.

"Heh, not a thing."

* * *

"That was quiet the massacre on the bridge." Kisame said as Itachi gaze Zabuza the second scroll.

"Heh, well even that many lowlifes are no match for a group of ninja, even if three are genin." He answered with a short laugh.

"So what are you going to do now?" Kisame asked.

"Not that it's any of your business fish breath but, there has been a very generous offer presented to me, and I think I'm going to take it. It provides shelter, protection and the opertunity for you to owe me a favor Kisame."

"How would I owe you?" he asked incredulously.

"That girl, the one under your 'protection', she has a lot of potential with a blade."

"You plan to train her?" Itachi asked.

"She'll be the best knifewoman in Konoha by the time I'm done with her."

* * *

**Please Please Please review!**

**If you have any questions about something you think is wrong then PM or review to let me know. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I didn't mean for this chapter to take so long, but I kinda forgot I had this story posted...oops. Anyway, the beginning of the chapter jumps to when Sasuke is trying to leave the village. There is also a time skip during the chapter, so be on the look out for that. On with the story!**

**leafstone: Thank you for reviewing! You have no idea how happy I was than anyone even reviewed this story.**

**Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own the characters of Naruto!**

* * *

Patiently she sat on the bench, waiting for him to arrive. This was the most logical way out of the village. If he was going to leave it would be on this path. Just when she believed that he'd taken another road or had decided to stay, Sasuke appeared.

"What are you doing here Sakura?" he asked, despite already having a pretty good idea.

"The better question is, what are you doing?" Sakura said, standing up and moving to the middle of the road, about two yards from him. "This is our home Sasuke, if you leave you are betraying everything and everyone we know. Why?"

"To be stronger." He answered; his face still impassive as ever.

"You can get stronger here! Don't you think we're all trying to get stronger? Leaving will cost you more than what you'll gain." She countered; trying to hold back her anger.

"You don't know that."

"And you're willing to risk everything to find out?! Think this through for just a second."

"I have thought it through Sakura." The Uchiha said, clenching his fists and trying not to yell. "I had plenty of time to think about it while I was in the hospital. If I can't even beat the idiot of our group then how the hell am I going to get stronger?"

"Don't you bring Naruto into this! This is about you and how you're giving up."

"I'm not giving up. I'm leaving to become stronger. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Sakura was near tears now. "I love you!"

All was silent as both ninja realized what she said.

Suddenly Sasuke was behind her. "Thank you, Sakura."

However before he could knock her out he felt something stab into his arm. Looking down he found a senbon protruding from his forearm.

"The poison in it won't kill you, but you will be unconscious in the next minute or so, and have a terrible headache in the morning. And you'll never remember this night." Sakura said, having moved when Sasuke let his guard down so she was now three feet away.

Sasuke smirked, as he tried to stay steady on his feet. "I could say the same to you."

Sakura looked confused before the edge of her vision became blurry and she realized that her side was numb. She didn't have to look to know that the senbon previously in Sasuke's arm was now sticking out of her side.

Sakura smiled bitterly. "Great minds think alike huh?"

"Hn." Sasuke replied before collapsing on the ground.

Sakura tried to move to carry him back to the Uchiha compound, but ended up falling instead. With only a slip of her consciousness left, Sakura barely registered that someone caught her before she fell. Just as the darkness took over her mind Sakura registered that the person carrying her was wearing a cloak.

That night Sakura dreamed of red clouds as long forgotten memories stirred.

* * *

"Moring Haku." A newly sixteen year old Sakura called as she entered the small house owned by the former Mist ninjas.

"Morning Sakura-san." Haku answered, throwing a few senbon her way.

She caught them easily and lightly sniffed them. "Neurologic poison of a non-fatal dosage."

"Very good." Hauk praised with a smile. "Zabuza is in the back, oh, and happy birthday."

"Thanks Haku." Sakura said, moving to the training room which took up the back portion of the house.

Ever since the bridge mission Zabuza had trained Sakura how to use Samenoha. It had been difficult for her to train under him and Tsunade, but somehow she had survived. Now she was a confident young ninja who didn't take crap from anybody and had her whole life waiting for her. The only thing missing was her past, and she would soon be solving that puzzle as well.

"Morning Zabuza-sensei." She said, entering the room.

"Hey kid. Been keeping up with your practice?"

Sakura pulled out Samenoha. "Yep."

With a pulse of her chakra she increased the knife's size before just a quickly pulling out chakra till the knife could have been concealed in the palm of her hand.

"Good. Now for the real test." Zabuza took the blade from her and allowed it to absorb some of his chakra before returning it to her.

Sakura accepted Samenoha and proceeded to pull chakra from it, allowing her hand to be enveloped in dark purple chakra. Then she returned the chakra to Zabuza.

"Piece of cake." She said, smirking.

"Well then, I guess you've earned your birthday present." Zabuza said, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, what is it?" Sakura asked, childish excitement lighting up her eyes.

"A day off. Go hangout with your friends or shop or whatever it is you brats do."

"So you're not going to explain your connection to Samenoha?" Sakura asked. It was something she asked him every time she had a chance. Zabuza knew so much about Samenoha that Sakura would not believe that all his knowledge came only from distant experience with swords. She had done some research and discovered that Zabuza had been part of the Seven Swordsmen. She also discovered that a fellow swordsmen had a sword with similar traits as Samenoha. However that was all she had found. She could not figure out why or how the two weapons were related and if that connected her to this other swordsman, but she needed to find out.

Zabuza had never been entirely forthcoming with any information on the other swordsman. The only useful information he had given her was when he had accidently said his name. However just Kisame's name had been enough for her to do some more research. On missions Sakura listened for any hint of him. Eventually she heard enough to form a hypothesis, but it seemed crazy. If everything went according to plan today, then she would have her answers.

A slight tingle mad itself known in Sakura's head.

"Kid you know I can't really tell you much…" Zabuza stopped as he noticed the ecstatic grin forming on Sakura's face. "You ok Kid?"

Sakura looked up at him. "I'm more than ok, I'm great. I'll see you later Zabuza-sensei!" With only that hasty farewell Sakura zipped out of the room and out the door.

Zabuza joined Haku at the front door as they watched a pink streak run across town.

"What was that about?" Haku asked.

"Haven't a clue."

* * *

Sakura arrived at her and Naruto's apartment, however instead of entering through the front door she leaped to the roof. From there she silently approached the edge where her balcony was, concealing her chakra as she did so. From inside she heard the sound of two people shuffling. Sakura waited for them to come out. She had been waiting for this moment for so long. Then two people wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them appeared, however they didn't notice Sakura due to thier spirited argument.

"I still think you gave her a lame gift. 'How to Make Puppets for Ninja'? Really where do you find that crap, un?" the blonde one said.

"And a fireworks kit is any better? If Leader-sama knew you would be turned over to Hidan, or even Zetsu." A read haired male replied.

"I'm giving her the greatest gift. The gift of art; and art is a bang, un!"

"On the contrary, art is forever."

"What if you were to mix the two?" Sakura asked, barely keeping a smirk from off her face.

"That's insane, un. The two are complete opposites and would negate each other." Deidera answered.

Sasori facepalmed. "Idiot." He then grabbed his companion and began running over the roofs.

Sakura wasted no time in following them.

After a few minutes they were out of the village and well into the woods that surrounded it.

"Wait! Why couldn't you merge the two art forms?" Sakura yelled.

Deidera turned around to answer, but was stopped by Sasori.

"Don't answer her. It's a trap."

"How would you know, un? You don't even know true art."

"Art is forever, Deidera." Sasori said, patiently

"Art is a bang, un!" Deidera countered.

"Art is an eternal explosion!" Sakura yelled from behind them.

Deidera stopped and turned around. "Stop trying to mix our styles, un!" he yelled, one fist in the air.

"You idiot." Sasori said, stopping as well. He had decided that if Sakura was going to continually bait his partner like that then it would be better to just fight with her.

However when they turned around they did not find Sakura. Instead they saw a massive flower shaped explosion heading right for them. Both ninja began to run. They figured they could out run the explosion, but it never stopped. The petals of the flower glowed fierce red and orange as it advanced upon them. Finally Sasori saw through the trick.

"Damn it. Deidera stop, we've been had." He said, halting on a branch.

"Don't stop Sasori-dono. You'll be burned, un."

Deidera watched in horror as the flames rushed Sasori. However instead of consuming him they merely went around him, not causing a single burn. Seeing this, Deidera stopped and joined his companion. Though the flames did not burn the flower did continue forward. Once the center was upon them, the genjutsu lifted.

The two relatively confused ninja found themselves just a few miles away from the Akatsuki hideout with an expectant Sakura looking at them.

"So are we there yet?" she asked.

Sasori sighed. The girl was obviously too smart for her own good. "Hai. We're almost there."

"But, Sasori-dono, what about Leader-sama, un?" Deidera asked.

"I don't have to worry about that. I'll just blame you."

"What, un?!"

Sakura laughed. She remembered the arguments these two would get into, but she didn't remember how much she missed them until just this moment.

The two rouge ninja turned their attention to her. "And just what is so funny, un?"

"Nothing." Sakura answered 'innocently'.

"Sakura-chan," Sasori said, getting her attention, "what was that genjutsu you used?"

Before Sakura could answer Deidera cut in. "Genjutsu?! Crap, the Uchiha bastard rubbed off on her, un! My precious student, corrupted!"

Being used to dramatic exclamations from blondes Sakura ignored Deidera. "Ah, it was one of my own creations. I was thinking of the arguments you two always used to have when I made it. It's main purpose is for tailing someone. The explosion scares the victim to the point where they flee to the nearest place their mind considers important." she explained.

"So you remember us? And the others too?" Sasori asked.

"Um, sort of. Can I explain it to everyone when we get inside?"

"Explain what exactly?" a plant like figure asked, appearing behind the trio.

"Zetsu nii!" Sakura smiled.

Zetsu sent the best smile he could toward Sakura before addressing the other two shinobi. "You're gonna have a hard time getting out of this mess." He said.

"Not really." Sasori answered with a shrug.

"Going to blame Deidera-san?"

"Yep."

"What's Deidera-san being blamed for?" Kisame asked as he and Itachi emerged from the tree behind the group.

"Mizu-nii!" Sakura exclaimed, running to hug Kisame.

Kisame returned the hug before looking at the others. "Now I get it."

Sakura withdrew from the hug and turned to Itachi. "Itchy nii."

Everyone held in their laughter except Kisame, who didn't fear retribution from the irritated Itachi.

"Sakura-chan." Itachi acknowledged.

"Ah, I missed this squirt." Kisame said, smiling. "Come on, let's head to the hideout to watch Leader-sama punish Deidera-san."

"Why me? Why me, un!" Deidera exclaimed in anguish.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Hopefully the next chapter won't take three months to update!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So it only took me two months instead of three... I'd count that as improvement! Thank you to cherryblossom1423, Guest 1, Guest 2, and 101 for reviewing and reminding me to update. I'll try and be more punctual in the future!**

**Disclaimer: If you recognize them they aren't mine!**

* * *

Pein sat in his office, looking out the window at the gloomy scene of Amegakure. Today was his only daughter's sixteenth birthday. He had thought of making a trip to spy on her, but deemed it too risky. From what he had heard, she was happy now. He had no reason to ruin that for her.

He thought back to the day eight years ago when he and Konan left her in Konaha. Sometimes he wondered if leaving her there was the best thing. If he was honest with himself, he still didn't know.

"Oh Leader-sama!" Tobi sang as he entered the room. "Deidera-senpai has a surprise for you!"

Pein wasn't sure what annoyed him more, the fact that Madara spoke like a hyperactive three year old, or that one of the Akatsuki (Deidera this time) was going to disrupt his peaceful day off. The door to his office flung open with a small explosion of smoke. Pein couched as the dust drifted towards him. Apparently the bomber had a greater death wish than he thought.

Just as he was about to pummel Deidera into next week, Pein realized that the figure at the door was female, and had pink hair.

The only person he knew that had pink hair was….

"I'm home." Sakura said, smiling at her dad.

"It was Deidera's fault." Sasori said, walking past the door.

"Um, surprise, un?"

To an outsider Pein didn't look to have reacted at all. However on the inside the normally stoic leader was a stuttering, gaping mess. He was in this same state when Konan came rushing in.

"Sakura!" she exclaimed, running to hug her daughter.

"Mom." Sakura said, sounding relieved as she returned the hug.

Pein was still standing in a stunned silence.

"Pein I swear if you don't get over here and hug your daughter now then I will hide all the chakra gauges so well that not even Zetsu will be able to find them." Konan threatened, still hugging Sakura.

Finally Pein realized he was making an idiot of himself (and that was not proper for a god) and moved to hug Sakura. When the hug broke he asked the question that had been running through his mind.

"Why are you here?"

Sakura's face fell.

"Pein, don't-." Konan began to admonish, but Sakura interrupted her.

"I knew, since you gave me up, that you probably didn't want me. If you thought I'd be useful here you'd have kept and trained me. In coming here I also knew you probably would be angry or disappointed, but I had to come. My entire life in Konoha I felt like I was missing something. I never knew what it was or why I felt that way, but I just knew. Once I figured out how to find you guys I had to come back, if only once." She responded, her face almost devoid of expression. To herself she admitted that it was probably for the best that they didn't want her, considering how they were hunting Naruto.

"Sakura –" Konan tried to speak.

Suddenly Sakura turned around. "I'll leave once I've looked around a bit. You don't need to worry about me leaking the hideout's location. I don't rat out on family." Before either parent could say a word, she was gone.

Konan sharply turned and glared at Pein. "I blame you, go fix this." With that having been said, she left.

Pein sighed. 'Wonder where Sakura got her temper.'

Sakura paused at the door of her old bedroom and fingered the flower engraved in the wood. With a sigh she opened the door and stepped inside. The room looked exactly the same as she remembered it. In the far left hand corner of the small square room was her bed, the cover a blood red with black flowers on it. Her dressers faced the bed and sat against the opposite wall. On little shelves lining the walls were little trinkets given to her by different members of the Akatsuki from their various missions. Sakura looked at them fondly before removing a scroll from her pack. If she couldn't come back, then she was at least taking these with her as a reminder.

As she laid the scroll on her bed, she heard the door open.

"You don't have to leave you know." Konan said from her place at the door.

Sakura looked over to her. "I wouldn't want to stay where I'm not welcome."

"But you are welcome, more than welcome actually. Your father is just a dolt when it comes to emotions."

Konan entered the room and sat on the bed, motioning Sakura to join her. When the two were seated next to each other Konan hesitantly placed her arm around Sakura's shoulder, ready to let go should Sakura object. However the teenager leaned into her mother's own shoulder and rested her head.

"Why did you guys give me up?" Sakura asked after a time had passed. "Not that I'm not happy in Konoha, but I don't understand."

"We wanted to protect you. Even though I wanted you to stay with us, it was too risky. Being part of this organization would've given you powerful enemies. By hiding you in Konoha your father hoped you would be protected by anonymity. I can't say I disagree with him, and you have grown into a strong kunoichi."

"Ok, but why Konoha?" Sakura asked, curious.

Konan smiled and tapped Sakura on the nose, "That you'll have to ask your father. I want you two to have a heart to heart later."

"Fine." Sakura huffed, playfully rolling her eyes at the familiar gesture.

"So you'll put that scroll away and stay?"

"I-"

"Oi Sakura-chan," Kakuzu called, coming down the hall with several Akatsuki members in tow. "So we've heard that you've become a….decent kunoichi."

Sakura twitched. Decent was not the word to describe her, she was way above average and she knew it.

"That sounds like a challenge to me." Sakura said, bristling as she got up from the bed.

"Good, because that's exactly what Deidera wanted it to sound like."

"What, un?"

"Oh really?" Sakura asked with a grin. "Let's see his impression of my skills after a fight."

Deidera tried to save himself. "Wait I didn't -," but Sasori covered his mouth.

"He accepts your challenge and says he won't lose to a pink haired girl." Kakuzu said, sealing Deidera's fate.

"You're on Deidera-sensei!" Sakura yelled, grabbing the bomber by his cloak and pulling him down the hall.

"Alright, Deidera's gonna get his ass beat!" Kisame cheered.

"What do you people have against me, un?!"

* * *

**Poor Deidera, I don't know why I like picking on him. Thanks for reading and please review!**


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